Automatic ware dealing and transferring apparatus



May 19, 1953 I A. J. WAHL 2,639,045

AUTOMATIC WARE DEALING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 23, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l ml] IIIIIIIIIA "17! INVENTOR Aubert J Wald.- Y

A. J. WAHL May 19, 1953 AUTOMATIC WARE DEALING AND TRANSFERR ING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 23, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 9% m5 M M. @E m%. 8N N R Q Q &- [J m gm m M 3 E Q k mw m 9 m 4+ 4 Q% Q N5 wm .QTHL SC m -iw mm & v 1 1 11m. E

Patented May 19, 1953 AUTOMATIC WARE DEALINGAND; TRANSFERRING APPARATUS:

Albert J. Wahl, Brocton, N. Y., assignor to' Miller Pottery Engineering Company, Swis svalc, Pm, a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application October 23, .1946. Serial n 705,143. Divided and this application-Italy. 29, 1948, Serial o.- sasss 9 Claims,

This invention relates to improvements in all: I

tomatic Ware dealing and transferring apparatus. This application is a divisionof my co-pending application S. N. 705,143, filed October- 23, 1946,

now Patent No. 2,545,369, issued March 13, 1951..

The present invention has to do with ware dealing and transferring apparatus for delivering ware, one piece at a time automatically to a decorating chuck. The ware isturned-over in transit and placed on the chuck-with the display surface up and in position to be operated. upon by, decorating implements.

One object of the present invention is to provide for apparatus which is simple in construction and reliable in operation. Another object is p to provide for interrupting the operation of said apparatus without disconnecting the main drive andwithout imposing anyundue strain on the apparatus. Another obiectis to provide an auto- .matic dealer and transfer which can be rendered ineffective by rendering only one of the aforesaid assemblies inoperative. Another object is to provide for a novel form of drive for thetransfer which can be quickly and easily released for drive adjustment purposes. 1

In accordance with this invention, the apparatus, generally, comprises a ware dealer for re ceiving a stack of inverted dishes and a eo-operating ware transfer arranged to take warefrem the bottom of the stack, a piece at-a time, and trans-fer the Ware to a chuck or ware receiver. The dealer is formed for gripping one or more of the lower pieces in a stack of ware to supportthe entire stack until the trar-isfer comes into position therebelow whereupon the entire stacklowered by gravity onto the transfer and some of the pieces above the lowermost pieceregripped, the lowermost piece being in this manner released .to the transfer. Said transfer chuck is supported .ior angular movement about an horizontal incident to movement between the point of. pick up and deposit. An adjustable drive, including ,a flexible connection, is provided tomove the transfer one direction whilst being revolvedauto- .matically to turn theware over in transit. A novel lock out is provided to render the transfer inoperativein ware receiving positionthereby to render the entire assembly ineifective.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a right end elevation of a decorating machine with. the automatic were dealing and transferring apparatus installed thereon.

Figure 2 is atop plan view of the dealer show.- .ingalso the transfer device and some oftheactuating mechanism for both. i

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 2 with a part of the dealer broken off.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail partly of the dealer and ware transfer.

Figure 5 is a detail, partly in section, showing the dealer in open position.

Figure 6 is a detail, partly in section, showing the dealer in closed position after a piece of ware has been releasedto the transfer device.

j Figure 7 is a detail partly insection illustrating in section the dealer by the transfer.

7 Figure 8 is a detail in plan taken in the directtion of arrows 8-'8,Flgu re 4.

Figure 9 is adetail partly in section showing the transfer lock in transfer locking position.

The ware that is to be decoratedis arranged'in verticalstacks or bungs, Figure 4, several pieces high, in the dealer. The dealer is filled with ware by hand and since this representsthe operators principal duty, it can readily be understood why unskilled labor may be employed'for the Work. It is desired to support a stack or bung of Ware by means that may be automatically operated to release onepiece of ware at a timefrom the bottomof a.v bung to a transfer device.

As explained in the parent application, a multiple station deeoratirl machine may employ several dealer-tran-sijersjone at each station and in such event, the assemblies hereof-may be op erated from a common drive. film to then'ovel lock-out provisions associated with each dealer, any one of the dealers can be rendered inopera tive without rendering the other dealer-transfers inoperative thereby to enable continued produc- .tive operation of the decorating machine at the other. stations. This is extremely advantageous b caus t erw e th ent r mac e wo ne e s ly e to ped a pr duc t r rupted at all stations.

s id .de ie co r es a memb ures 5. '6, and 7, formed with a, vertically extending, in-

c in d w r uppo t se t on Figure tam" a lowe e ti a l dispo e grip in .J aw i n 3'?- Said member is preferably :formed like a shallow trough wi h the. co c e-side pre nt he ware. This. surface is lined with resilient material such as, rubber mdicated by the refe ence character 38 Member 35 is .supm tedbva plate .3 9 to which it is rigidly secured Preferably by weldin the lower end 31 thereto onthe in ide of asemiec r- .cular. recess .40., Figure, 2, termed in Plate. Platefls is bolted to, and, supp rted by a pair .01

how the ware is turned as it is removed from spaced, parallel angles 4| and 42 that are braced across the rear ends by a cross angle 43 thereby forming a rectangular frame that is supported on the machine frame for vertical adjustment in the following manner: Angle 43 rests upon a pair of vertically adjustable studs 44, Figures 1 and 3, threaded into a cross angle 46 Figure 3, of the machine frame and common to all the dealers, the studs being carried one at each rear corner of the rectangular frame, although only one of the pairs is seen in the drawings (Figure 3). Angle 43 is clamped against these studs by a pair of spaced studs 41 and 48 thereabove that are threaded downwardly through top, rear, cross angle I9 of machine frame 35. Studs 41 and 48 are provided with sleeves 50 which bear against angle 43 and are secured by nuts 49 to hold the rear end of the frame against displacement at the adjusted level. Adjustable hanger bolts 52 and 53 support the front end of the dealer frame from a front, top, cross angle 20, of the machine frame, common to all the dealers, Figures 3 and 4. Thus the dealer frame may be adjusted upwardly or downwardly to the desired elevation and leveled.

In order to grip the lowermost piece of a bung of ware as aforesaid, a curved lever 54, Figures 2, 3 and 4, is pivoted on a pin 55 carried by plate 39 and located near the open end of the recess. At the center of the lever and on the inside curve is secured another guide and jaw member 56 which is similar to member 36 except that it is smaller in width and height. The uppersection of this member is inclined relative to the jaw section 56' which is Welded or otherwise secured to lever 54 in a position diametrically opposite the jaw section of member 36 when the jaws are closed. Member 56 is also formed like a shallow trough and has substantially the same radius of curvature, at least in the jaw zone, as the other member. This radius of curvature preferably conforms to the curvature of the ware. In order to compensate for fractional differences in diameter of the ware, and to avoid damage thereto, the jaw portion 56, Figure 3, is also lined with resilient material 51 which may extend over the entire trough-like surface of the member is desired.

At the free end of lever 54 is a roller 58 rotatably mounted upon a horizontal stud screwed into the end of the lever. Said roller is adapted to rest upon and roll on plate 39 and to support the free end of the lever.

Means for automatically moving lever 54 to cause the jaws to grip the ware, as depicted in Figure 6, and to release the ware, as illustrated in Figure 5, comprises a vertical pin 59, Figures 2 and 3, rigidly secured in a hole near the outer end of lever 54. To this pin is pivotally attached a connector 60 into which a pull rod 6| is adjustably screwed and held in position by a nut 62. The clearance between the jaws may be conveniently adjusted by removing connector 60 from pin 59 and screwing it in one direction or the other on pull rod 6|.

Pull rod 6| is pivotally attached at the other end to a vertical lever 2| mounted on a frame supported cross shaft 63, Figures 2 and 3. In a multiple station decorating machine, this shaft is common to all of the dealers. Said lever 2| is freely rotatable on shaft 63 and gripping pressure I is applied on the ware by plural coil springs 64 attached to the upper end of lever 2| and anchored at the opposite end to bolts 65 secured in a bracket 66 rigidly fixed to machine frame 35.

To relax the pressure of the gripping jaws upon the ware, lever 2 l is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, Figure 1, against the tension of the coil springs by a lever 61 clamped to shaft 63 and rotatable therewith. Each lever 61 has a horizontal projection 68 adapted to engage lever 2| and turn it in the same direction as shaft 63 when shaft 63 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure l. Shaft 53 is common to all of the dealers. This action opens all of the jaws of the several dealers and permits each bung of ware to drop down, Figure 5, then upon reverse, or clockwise, rotation of shaft 63, Figures 3 and 4, springs 64 associated with each dealer, close the gripping jaws with which they are associated and to make certain that adequate retaining pressure is applied to the ware, each lever 61 is adjusted so as to turn clockwise sufficiently to disengage associated lever 2|.

Shaft 63 is rotated by a lever 10 which is clamped thereto. Said lever is pivotally connected to a push rod H, Figure 2, and connected to a bifurcated lever 12 having a bearing sleeved on shaft 13 supported by [bearings 15 mounted on the machine frame. Lever 12 is raised by means of cam 11, Figure 1, fixed on the cam shaft ll! of the decorating machine which engages a cam roller 19 rotatably supported between the bifurcated part of the lever. The working surface of this cam is developed so as to provide for the opening and closing of the gripping jaws in the manner previously described.

Cam shaft 18, Figure 1, is supported in bearings such as that at on the machine frame 35 and is operated by the main drive motor and manually adjustable speed transmission (not shown) of the decorating machine. Thus the speed of rotation of cam shaft 18 may be varied manually which means that the rate of discharge of ware from a dealer may be increased or decreased in accordance with the requirements of production.

Ware is carried from the dealer and to its associated decorating station by the co-acting transfer device previously mentioned.

With reference particularly to Figure 4, is a vacuum chuck formed with a rubber sealing ring 9| demountably secured to a circular plate 92 having a central aperture 93 therein communicating with a vacuum passage 94 in the pedestal 95 which is welded to a hollow, tubular sleeve 96 forming part of a transfer arm. Said sleeve is rotatably telescoped upon a hollow tubular pipe 91 and sealed against leakage thereagainst by bushings 98 and 99, bushing 98 being held against axial displacement by a circular plate Hi0 bolted over the open end of pipe 91 and bushing 99 being seated against a shoulder formed on the pipe. A cap HH screwed onto the end of sleeve 96 also acts as a vacuum seal. Vacuum passage 94 communicates with the hollow interior of pipe 91 through a hole IE2 bored through the shaft. Communication is also established through the clearance space I03 between the sleeve and pipe and an other hole I04 in pipe 91 adjacent hole I02. I05 is a pinion gear fixed on sleeve 96.

Each pipe 91 is welded to an associated hollow sleeve I06, see Figure 2, that is telescoped upon a stationary vacuum pipe I01, in which vacuum is intermittently established by means (not shown) associated with the decorating machine of the parent application and mounted upon the machine frame. Said sleeve is larger in diameter than the pipe so as to allow ample clearance for the insertion of sleeve :bearings Ill and H2, Figure 2, in opposite ends thereof which seal the ends of the sleeve and upon which the sleeve turns about the axis of pipe I01. Axial displacement in 5 one direction prevented by a set collar 113 end in theo'ther by a' g'ea r 4M, meshes with pinion H15, and is fixed on the shaft by set screws .1 W.- Pipe I I! 'has'a 'hole IN therein by ine-ans of which communication is established between pipes-W and-1M; 1

Thus, "to deliver a pieceoi ware r-rom abugto a decoratingohu'ck 12s; the vacuum chuck BQis turned about J theaaz-i's "of pipe HH- for-approximately 90, see Fig e hbyapp abuts" be in 5 en tlydescribed. Incident to 'th movement, the chuckiisalso caused to rotate, Figure 7, about the axis or pipe 96 itcrvappreximately 120 as a result of thepinion i as, Figures 2, 3, and a, being turned by't he stationary gear I all; Thus, as illustrated in Figure 4, ware takenifrom the dealer inherizontai inverter-1 position is carried to a lower level and in transit revolved so 'as to present the back or foot ringzoneoi the ware to the decorating chuck 1:26 =in a vertical position.

The "apparatus formoving the transfer chuck '99 from its associated "dealerrto :an assoc-iated decorating chuck--comprises a disc Hi1; Figures-Brand mover-which a sprocket chain I28 is trained." The sprocket chain is securelyfastenedto the disc-by a clamp 129.; Figures 3 and '3, attached-"to the The sprocket clr'ain is connected at :one end to econ sprix'ig d31]., Figures 1, :2; and 3,-:an- 'choned to "a stud L31 connected to themachine frame. attached to a lever 1:3Tthatiis fixed ion shaft I33, this shaft being-common to'all of the transfer devices and in the 'case'of n multiple :stati'ou decotating machine it will he iuiderstood that for actuating each transterdevice, a lever 132 is clamped to rotatable shaft l83' at'th'e "proper position.

Shaft i33-ais mounted for rotation in bearings supported by the machine frame. Said shaft is rotated by "a crank ltd-Figurev '1, fixedron the shaft which is pivotally connected to a push rod 5136 that in turn is pivotally connected'to a lever ISI'prvoted on the machine frame. Lever 13?! :is provided with a cam-roller i38=thatengages the periphery of cam l139"secur1ed to cam shaft 18. The working surface of this cam is'formed' "for moving the-chuck carrying :armpf "the transfer :d'evicein the :manner aforesaid; I

Theoperation of thetransfer device say he arrested without interrupting the operation of other transfer devices by a lockout device shown in Figures 3 and' i. This lookout dev i'c'e comprises a bar Mjpivotallyattached to a bifurcated lug l4! secured to the inside of the vertical web ofthe top, front, crossang'le 2.0 of the machine frame, see Figure '9. Stop bar H9 has ant-off- :cen terlpivot [42 so as to allow the long'end of the bar to. drop down by gravity into a position where it may engage lug. M3, see Figure 4, welded onthe side of disc l2l'when vertically movable I'M is raised by hand. Saidpin issIidable rin oversize-ihole IE, Figure-9, angle .Edand may be held in raised position by the combined action of spring M5 which pulls the pin ofi center and causes the lower groove I46 to move into interfitting relation with the angle around,

the rim of the hole. To look the pin in lower position to thereby disengage the stop bar I40, from the lug I43, the pin is unlatched and depressed until the upper groove I4! locks in the hole as aforesaid.

In commercial practice, some of the ware will be crooked or over or undersize. To prevent crooked or undersize ware from prematurely falling from the dealer, I propose to grip some of the bung The other'e'nd'iof the-sprocket chain is 6 components in external-embraced! would be provided by apad ofirubbcr, or the like, of'suflicient thickness toallow z-for diner-- ences in the diameter of the ware.- The-ware transfer device; which in this structure includes a transfer arm with a wave support-thereon, is adapted to position the were support below and in close proximity to the lowermost ,pieceof were in the bung. When the gripping pressure onthe bun-g components is relaxed, the entire bung drops down upon the ware support and when the gripping pressure is again applied, it may also. be effective on the lowermost piece :in bung but atza lower value-thanon those piecesof: ware thereabove. This may be acoomplishedbyforming the troughs 56 and 3 5 with gripping jaw sections 2:3--and .ilrespectively, as shown Figure 3 that are-divergentror outwardly tapering. .Although the lowermost piece of were, under this circumstance would not be fully released the dealer, should the transfer fail :to tightly grip the piece, say for instance, because of some crooked --or warpedsoondition of i the were or for some other reason, the piece wilLnot fall from :the dealer, but will remain in place-until removed by hand. It further should be notedthat whenthe gripping lpressure on the bung is relaxed to permit-the entire bung. to drop down upon the ware support, and when the pressure again is applied, the piece of ware :next to the lowermost piece rise-ripped by sections of the jaws that are .notd-ivengent or outwardly tapered. Consequently, as the transfer draws the lower.- most pieceraway from the pile, thegrippingdaws exert sufficient pressure on. the remainder of the pile to ,preventother pieces of warefrom being pulled away or from dropping. Ofcourse, the were may, if desired, be released entirely from the gripping-jaws by locating the lower end-of the jaws above the position the piece would normally occupy when resting uponthe war-e support. 1 Zlhusthe dealer-may be formed for either wholly. releasing the ware ,or retaining the piece with-arlight pressure requiring that the transfer device pul-lit.from-the dealer. 1Thedecorating-implement 220 isecarried by a holder 2 23 SQJid hQldBldiS rotatably mountedon shaft 23B. for movement into and. out of decouat in'g pesitioniby-a pivoted lever-240 and :pull'ch-ain 2-35: actuated by -.a-ca-m .245 on shaft 24 6: rotated by sprocket chain 258 rfromi-main drive shaft l8 all as described in detailin the parent application. The implement holder. 22.3- is moved back away from ,the decorating-chuckto avoid-interference-with the transfer-9 6 when delivering ware to the deoorating chuckiandwhen returning to the loading position-below the dealer magazi-ne. The decoratingachuck is vacuumized to grip the ware thereto when the same has :been delivered by the transfer chuck, however rat the termination of-the decorating operation, the vacuum .is interrupted and the decorated werev falls from :the chuck down a chute or slide 29 to a belt 30 which carries the ware away.

I claim:

1. A ware dealer for supporting a bung of dinnerware and releasing the ware one piece at a time, comprising a frame, a stationary gripper mounted on the frame, a movable gripper hinged to the frame, a pull rod connected to the free end of said hinged gripper, a lever connected to the rod, resilient means connected to said lever, cam mechanism movable into and out of engagement with the lever for opening the gripper and efiecting a release of a piece of ware, and a roller riding on said frame and carried by the free end of saidmovable gripper, said resilient means operating to apply gripping pressure to the bung of dinnerware after said piece is released.

2. A ware dealer for supporting a bung of dinnerware and releasing the ware one piece at a time, comprising a frame, a stationary gripper mounted on the frame, a movable gripper hinged to the frame, a roller riding on said frame and carried by the free end of said movable gripper, and means connected to said hinged gripper for swinging it toward and away from the stationary gripper whereby pieces of ware are released.

3. A dealer for supporting a hung of dinnerware operable to release a piece of ware at a time from the bottom of the bung comprising, a pair of'grippers arranged to grip between them some of the lower components of the bung and means for moving one of the grippers relative to the other to'apply and relax a gripping pressure on the bung, the bottom sections of said grippers being outwardly flared a suflicient amount to exert less pressure on the lowermost piece of ware than is exerted by the grippers on the pieces of ware above said lowermost piece.

4. A dealer for supporting a bung of dinnerware and releasing pieces of ware one at a time from the bottom of the bung comprising a frame, a pair of grippers mounted on said frame, means for moving one of the grippers relative to the other for applying and relaxing gripping pressure on some of the bung components, and an inclined stationary member for holding the bun upright, the bottom sections of said grippers being outwardly flared a suflicient amount to exert less pressure on the lowermost piece of ware than is exerted by the grippers on the pieces of ware above said lowermost piece.

5. A dealer for supporting a bung of dinnerware and releasing a piece of ware at a time from the bottom of the bung comprising a frame, a pair of grippers mounted on said frame, one of said grippers being stationary and the other being hinged and movable relative to the other and means for moving said hinged member to apply and release gripping pressure to the bung, the bottom sections of said grippers being outwardly flared a sufficient amount to exert less pressure on the lowermost piece of ware than is exerted by the grippers on the pieces of ware above said lowermost piece.

6. A dealer for supporting a bung of dinnerware and releasing the ware one piece at a time from the bottom of the bung comprising, a frame, a stationary gripper mounted upon said frame, a movable gripper mounted upon said frame, a pull rod for actuating said movable gripper, and resilient means for applying gripping pressure to the bung, the bottom sections of said grippers being outwardly flared a sufficient amount to exert less pressure on the lowermost piece of ware than is exerted by the grippers on the pieces of ware above said lowermost piece.

7. A dealer for supporting a bung of dinnerware and releasing the ware one piece at a time from the bottom of the bung comprising, a frame, a stationary gripper mounted upon the frame, a pivotally mounted gripper mounted upon said frame, cam actuated means for moving said pivotally mounted gripper and an inclined member for holding the bung upright, the bottom sections of said grippers being outwardly flared a sufficient amount to exert less pressure on the lowermost piece of ware than is exerted by the grippers on the pieces of ware above said lowermost piece.

8. A were dealer for supporting a bung of dinnerware and releasing the ware one piece at a time, comprising a frame, a stationary gripper mounted on the frame, a movable gripper hinged to the frame, a pull rod connected to the free end of said hinged gripper, a lever connected to the rod, resilient means connected to said lever, cam mechanism movable into and out of engagement with the lever for opening the gripper and effecting a release of a piece of ware, and a roller riding on said frame and carried by the free end of said movable gripper, said resilient means operating to apply gripping pressure to the bung of dinnerware after said piece is released, the bottom sections of said grippers being outwardly flared a sufficient amount to exert less pressure on the lowermost piece of ware than is exerted by the grippers on the pieces of ware above said lowermost piece.

9. A ware dealer for supporting a bung'of dinnerware and releasing the ware one piece at a time, comprising a frame, a stationary gripper mounted on the frame, a movable gripper hinged to the frame, a roller riding on said frame and carried by the free end of said movable gripper, and means connected to said hinged gripper for swinging it toward and away from the stationary gripper whereby pieces of .ware are released, the bottom sections of said grippers being outwardly flared a sufficient amount to exert less pressure on the lowermost piece of ware than is exerted by the grippers on the pieces of ware above said lowermost piece.

ALBERT J. WAHL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 630,187 Cunningham Aug. 1, 1899 972,649 Rose Oct. 11, 1910 1,688,510 Taylor Oct. 23, 1928 1,947,609 McNamara Feb. 20, 1934 2,059,546 Brandenburg Nov. 3, 1936 2,297,847 Wilckens Oct. 6, 1942 2,382,405 Eckman Aug. 14, 1945 2,413,446 Glassner Dec. 31, 1946 

